Leadership guru Simon Sinek explains what allows some businesses to thrive and others to merely survive in his recent book Leaders Eat Last where he ultimately identifies the main difference between the survivors and the thrivers: leadership style. Simon Sinek, a military adviser and expert on leadership development, is best known for presenting one of the most watched Ted Talks to date: How Great Leaders Inspire Action.
In Leaders Eat Last, Sinek reveals groundbreaking viewpoints on leadership traits possessed by today’s most successful leaders, while also dismissing common business practices such as firing the bottom ten percent, fixating on profits, and prioritizing incentive-based cultures. He instead heralds the importance of building trust, leading with a service oriented mission, the vitality of face-to-face interactions, and much more.
Here are Seven Innovative and Crucial leadership Traits cited in Leaders Eat Last:
- Leaders must be Trustworthy
- To be considered an excellent leader, you must be trustworthy. According to Sinek, to be trustworthy you must consistently tell the truth and act with integrity. It is very important for any leader to be trusted by his followers so that they will believe in their leader’s vision.
- Leaders must foster a “Circle of Trust”
- Leaders must foster a company culture that mimics a “Circle of Trust.” This term refers to a culture that promotes a “we, not me” strategy, allowing members feel connected, trust one another, and work collaboratively. Our author uses the high number of patents at the organization 3m that have more than one inventor as a prime example of a company that fosters idea sharing and cooperation. You would think that all organizations foster this type of culture, however businesses often struggle to achieve collaboration because they get distracted by promoting incentive based rewards instead of looking at the big picture.
- Have a Vision and Work for it
- Companies will be on a road to nowhere if their leader doesn’t possess a vision. Once a leader has a vision, then they must become goal oriented so that they can accomplish all of their goals and not lose sight of what is most important.
- It is OK to Break the Mold
- Leaders commonly feel pressured to follow other’s footsteps to success. This pressures many leaders to do things that may not in the best interest of their organizations and, more importantly, their employees. Leaders must be capable of breaking the mold in order to create and innovate their markets. Companies like Starbucks, Costco, and Zappos are companies commonly acknowledged for generously rewarding their employees with above average benefits and compensation packages that show their employees how important their personal development is to the organization. Practices such as these go a long way to show your followers that you care.
- Friendships at Work are Important
- Leaders who promote friendship and comradery tend to create cultures that embrace cohesion. One study revealed that employees who worked with a close friend actually performed better than with just an acquaintance. In this sense, leaders should encourage team building, healthy communication, and socializing activities.
- Log Off Facebook
- Sinek claims that today’s instant communication and digital-centric society actually disengages us from other people. We have substituted love for likes and acknowledgment for shares. To be a great leader you must be truly connected with your followers. You should build understanding, care, and respect for them by making genuine, in person connections. Forming this type of connection is next to impossible if we are constantly avoiding face-to-face interactions. So log off the internet and go physically interact with people.
- To Lead, you must Serve
- To be a great leader you must be willing to serve your followers. What separates leaders from great leaders is service. A true leader is someone who works for his employees and consistently strives for their success. The idea of service oriented leadership is at the cornerstone of Leaders Eat Last. Great leaders should be mindful of how to best serve their followers so that they are encouraged to pursue a unified vision and goals with their best effort.
So now you have some great tips towards becoming a great leader, but do you know how tohro logo implement these strategies? HR Consulting firms like HRO Partners are a great resource for offering options to have executive coaching, training regimes, and developmental programs put in place to help you navigate your workforce. To learn more about HRO Partners, visit their website at http://www.hro-partners.com , email info@hro-partners.com , or call 901-737-0123.